Carseat Questions

In this special BONUS EPISODE of Carseat Questions, tune in for the expertise of Courtney Wilson, a seasoned Children's Pastor with a heart for nurturing young faith. Our little ones are full of questions, and as parents, we often find ourselves seeking answers that will guide them on their spiritual journey. Join us as we explore the world of children's questions and embark on a journey to address some of the most common and profound inquiries young minds have about faith, spirituality, and Christianity. Courtney Wilson currently serves as the KidsWorld Pastor for the St Charles/South Elgin Campus of Christ Community Church in St. Charles, IL. She has been in children's ministry for over 20 years in churches of various sizes. She is passionate about encouraging and equipping parents, kids and volunteers as they surrender to Jesus and live out their calling to be and make disciples. Courtney has 3 sons and a daughter and is known as the loudest mom during their cross country races.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of Carseat Questions, we're joined by Dr. Mikel Del Rosario, a leading authority in Christian apologetics, to tackle a question that many Christian parents grapple with: How can we help our children understand that the Bible is true and reliable? Young minds are naturally curious, and nurturing their faith with a solid foundation is paramount. Dr. Del Rosario offers a treasure trove of insights, strategies, and engaging ways to guide your children in developing an unshakable belief in the truth of the Bible. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that equips parents with the tools to navigate these crucial conversations. Whether your child is asking questions about the Bible's authenticity or you want to proactively instill a deep and unwavering faith, this episode is a must-listen. Dr. Del Rosario's wisdom will help you foster an environment where your children can embrace the Bible as a source of truth, wisdom, and spiritual guidance in their lives. Dr. Mikel Del Rosario is a Professor of Bible and Theology at Moody Bible Institute. Previously, he taught Christian Apologetics and World Religion at William Jessup University and Digital Media for Ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has published over 30 journal articles on apologetics and cultural engagement in Bibliotheca Sacra with his mentor, Dr. Darrell Bock. He holds an M.A. in Christian Apologetics with highest honors from Biola University, along with a Master of Theology (Th.M) and a Ph.D in Biblical Studies (Emphasis in New Testament Studies) from Dallas Theological Seminary where he served as Project Manager for Cultural Engagement at the Hendricks Center, producing and hosting The Table podcast. He has also served in the Philippines as a missionary professor with Converge Worldwide and a youth pastor to refugees and multicultural students in California. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us as we delve into the world of children's emotions with the help of guest Miriam Arnold. We address the intriguing questions that young kids often ask about shameand Miriam shares her insights, offering practical strategies to create a loving, shame-resilient environment for your children. Come along for a heartwarming conversation that equips you with the tools to support your child through their journey of self-discovery and emotional growth. Whether you're a seasoned parent or a new one, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to create a nurturing and shame-free Biblically based environment for their kids, allowing them to grow into confident and compassionate individuals. Miriam Arnold and her husband live in the Greater Atlanta Area with their two daughters. She has been described as bubbly, quirky, clumsy and awkwardly direct. She enjoys biking, playing board games and doodling. But most importantly, she loves finding creative ways to tell Bible stories that respect authorial intent while highlighting key Gospel truths to help others sift shame and perfectionism from their faith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does God love us all the same? Every single one of us? What about those who sin differently or look different than me? In this episode of CarSeat Questions, we welcome a special guest, Trillia Newbell, to dive deep into a topic that holds immense significance for parents and families – how to discuss the unifying message of the gospel of Jesus with our children. Trillia, a respected author and speaker, brings her wealth of knowledge and insights to help parents navigate this important conversation. We will talk personal experience as well as discuss Trillia’s book “Creative God, Colorful Us.” Trillia Newbell is the author of the kids’ books Creative God, Colorful Us and God’s Very Good Idea, a Bible study on Hebrews 11, A Great Cloud of Witnesses, and a Bible study on Romans 8, If God Is For Us, as well as the books Sacred Endurance: Finding Grace and Strength for a Lasting Faith, Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts (2016), Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves (2015) and United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity (2014). Her writings on issues of faith, family, and diversity have been published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Desiring God, True Woman, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and more. She was also a commentator for World Radio (a sister platform for World Magazine). Trillia has spoken at numerous conferences, churches, women’s retreats, colleges and seminaries, including True Woman, The Gospel Coalition Women’s conference, Southeastern Theological Seminary, and more. She spent seven years serving as the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention. She is currently an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you love the Bible and want to teach it to your children, but wonder if some of the stories in the Old Testament are appropriate for young minds? How do we share the fullness of the Biblical narrative to them? In this special episode, we are joined by Russell Meek, who will guide parents on the journey of introducing the Old Testament of the Bible to their children without fear. Russell, a seasoned theologian and a parent himself, shares his profound wisdom on making this sacred text accessible and meaningful for young minds and hearts. Russell L. Meek is associate professor of Old Testament at William Tennent School of Theology and also teaches Old Testament and Hebrew at Moody Theological Seminary. He writes a regular column on understanding and applying the Old Testament at Fathom Magazine, and his books include Ecclesiastes and the Search for Meaning in an Upside- Down World and the co-authored Book-by-Book Guide to Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary. Russ, his wife, and their three sons live in the mountains of north Idaho.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting is a sacred journey, especially when it comes to nurturing our children's faith in a complex world. Join us for an intimate and soul-stirring conversation as we explore the profound art of raising children with Godly love. In this episode, we delve into the challenges and triumphs of instilling faith in our children's hearts. We're joined by a special guest, Melissa Hannigan, who brings a wealth of wisdom and experience to the table. Together, we'll discuss how to encourage your children in a Godly way, drawing inspiration from her own journey and timeless spiritual principles. Melissa Hannigan holds a master of arts degree in counseling from Midwestern Theological Seminary. She is wife to John Hannigan, executive director of Celebrate Kids. They have been married for 17 years and have four children. Before becoming a full-time homeschool mom, Melissa has worked with teen girls to overcome abuse, addictions, and trauma. She is passionate about helping people discover God’s best for their lives. Melissa is an Associate of Ignite the Family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last season we chatted to Sara Lane about cross racial adoption from the adoptees perspective. This season we wanted to chat with Brittany Salmon about cross racial adoption from the perspective of the parent. Brittany has two adopted boys and wrote the book “It Takes More Than Love” all surrounding the topic of cross racial adoption. Brittany Salmon is a professor, writer, and Bible teacher. She has a MA in Intercultural Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a MA in Teaching from North Carolina State University, and a Doctorate from Southeastern Seminary. Brittany is passionate about taking theology and applying it to everyday life. And yet the people closest to her think of her as the friend who loves oversized sweatpants and a great conversation over coffee. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina with her best friend, Ben, and their four children. You can connect with Brittany on Instagram @brittanynsalmon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The life of military families is a unique and weighty one - often marked by moving, shifting, community, and many hellos and goodbyes. What does this reality do to children? To spouses? How can we talk to our children about servicemen and servicewomen? How can we serve them back? Join us for a very real and raw conversation with military missionary, Megan Brown for a conversation surrounding the realities of military familyhood and how to love our kids within it. Megan B. Brown is a seasoned military spouse, a mother of four, and a military missionary. She is the Founder and Executive Director of MilSpo Co.- a military focused nonprofit organization dedicated to the discipleship of today's armed forces. Megan is the author of "Summoned: Answering a Call to the Impossible" and "Know What You Signed Up For." She is passionate about disciple making and sharing the hope that is only found in Jesus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has your child ever asked you about the realities of homelessness? Maybe you saw someone who needed help on the street with a sign, or you served a homeless population at church. How did you answer them? How can parents convey the way that Jesus feels about those struggling with homelessness to their kids? Listen to this episode with Jaime Buxton to hear a conversation addressing all of these curiosities and responsibilities. For Jaime Buxton, responding to God’s call on her life to serve others has always been her passion and motivation. In 2005, Jaime transitioned from the mission field in Belize, Central America to serve as a Childcare Assistant at The City Mission of Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, she worked diligently with mothers and children in crisis while raising her own family in the ministry she cared so deeply about. Jaime’s desire to compassionately care for children and encourage mothers grew into an opportunity to educate others in how to get involved. In 2016, Jaime became the Internship and Volunteer Services Supervisor at The City Mission, managing thousands of volunteers and dozens of interns over the years. Today, Jaime serves as The City Mission’s Community Engagement Manager and has the incredible honor of educating the community, advocating for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness, and bringing people from different churches and organizations together to serve the Mission’s residents in a meaningful way. Jaime holds a B.A. in Youth Ministry and Missions from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and is a 2021 graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Bridge Builders Program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know that one of the 10 Commandments given to Moses was to “honor your Father and Mother” - but what does this actually mean to a child? How can we encourage honor from kids when they may not have the language to understand? How do we teach and foster honor? Join us for today’s conversation with Dr. Chris Rappazinni for a conversation all about honoring mom and dad, and how to encourage this in our kids. Dr. Chris Rappazini is an Associate Professor of Leadership at Anderson University in Anderson, SC. For over a decade, he served as a Professor of Pastoral Studies at the Moody Bible Institute in Spokane, Washington, and Chicago, Illinois. Chris, a Moody graduate from 2007, contributes to Moody’s monthly devotional, Today in the Word, and has authored an upcoming book titled, Moving Forward After Messing Up: How God Uses Our Past to Change the Future. He is the former president of the Evangelical Homiletics Society and previously worked as an associate minister of preaching and teaching at Southside Christian Church in Spokane. Chris, along with his wife Ashley, happily reside in Anderson, South Carolina, with their three children. Prior to becoming a parent, Chris appreciated hiking, outdoor activities, cooking, and exploring new places. Nowadays, his hobbies include playing freeze-tag in the yard and making meals that his kids will enjoy. He is a husband, dad, professor, preacher, and scholar who believes the Bible is still relevant, Godly leadership is essential, and the Church’s best days are still ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is back to school time and parents everywhere are faced with questions about their kids’ safety. Statistics show that the number of shootings within schools, even elementary schools, is at an all time high in our country. Should parents be scared? Should their kids be scared? Join us for this episode of the CarSeat Questions podcast with Dr. Jamie Aten for a discussion on these realities that face parents everywhere. JAMIE ATEN, PhD, is Co-Founder of Spiritual First Aid. He is also the Founder and Co-Director of Humanitarian Disaster Institute, Blanchard Chair of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership, and Co-Coordinator of the Trauma Certificate Program at Wheaton College. Personally, he is both a Hurricane Katrina and late-stage early onset cancer survivor. Professionally, as a di­saster psychologist he has responded to and researched disasters and mass traumas around the globe. He has published 9 authored and edited books and over 150 scholarly publications including in some of the top peer-reviewed jour­nals in the field of psychology. His research has been supported by over $7 million dol­lars in awarded grants. He is frequently cited, interviewed, and published in outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, CNN, Fox News, BBC News, Psychology Today, Religion News Service, Moody Radio, and Christianity Today. In 2016 he was awarded the FEMA Community Preparedness Champion Award at the White House. He also received the Early Career Award and Applied Psychology of Re­ligion and Spirituality Award from the American Psychological Association’s Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. He is cohost of the award winning The Better Samaritan blog and podcast at Christianity Today. You can follow Jamie on Twitter at @drjamieaten. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 1 of this season, you heard pieces of three different conversations all about spiritual, emotional, and cognitive development. In this final episode of season 1, we are joined by Brooke Smith to talk about emotional development in children. Brooke Ervin is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She specializes in trauma, abuse, and breakdowns in communication within interpersonal relationships - both in marriages as well as within the family unit. She has experience working in a variety of mental and behavioral health settings, including residential, inpatient psychiatric care, as well as outpatient.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the beginning of this season in episode 1, you heard clips from three different conversations to set the stage for the podcast. In this episode, you’ll hear a conversation all about cognitive development with Professor Elizabeth Smith. Elizabeth Smith, MA, LCPC, is MBI’s Program Head for Children and Family Ministry and Field Chair of Education and Counseling. She is also the author of, “God Never Changes But My Family Always Does”. Elizabeth has loved training churches and families to reach the next generation for Christ in theologically grounded and developmentally innovative ways for over 30 years. Elizabeth is married to Pastor Brian Smith and loves doing ministry alongside him. She is the proud mother of 3 adult children and their wonderful spouses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the beginning of this season in episode 1, you heard clips from three different conversations to set the stage for the podcast. In this episode, you'll hear our entire conversation on spiritual development with Randy Isola.  Randy Isola has served the local church as a pastor since 1991, in the NextGen areas of kids, youth and family ministries. He has experience working in both denominational and non-denominational churches, ranging from a bi-lingual, inner-city church plant to multi-site, suburban, mega churches. Randy has been on staff at Christ Community Church in the western suburbs of Chicago since 2005. He is on their leadership team of Sr. Directors as the Next Generation Pastor leading the staff and ministries for nursery through college across all campuses. Randy believes that to lead or join endeavors impacting kids and students for Christ is one of the greatest eternal investments anyone can make. He received his Bachelor and Master's degrees from Wheaton College in Illinois. Randy is also a NextGen Associate at Slingshot, where he gets to equip and resource churches to build remarkable teams that will impact the next generation. Randy and his wife Michelle grew up attending church together in Chicago and were married in 1994. They have 4 sons in their late teens and early 20's and live in the suburbs of Chicago. Randy likes to hang out with his family, watch sports and let his dog on the couch when his wife isn't around.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we sing so much in church? When we surveyed a group of parents, one child had a very good question about what humans are made for: worship. He even provided an analogy all about tacos (you’ll have to listen to hear how astute and hilarious it was)! Today, we asked our friends, recording artist and musicians, Shane and Shane to join us for a conversation all about worship: what it is, why it matters, and how it sets us apart as believers. We also chatted all about their recording careers, why they sing, and how they talk to their own kids about worshiping God. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all remember that song by Audio Adrenaline, right? The one that describes heaven as “a big big yard where we can play football?” That song, while catchy, makes claims about heaven that a lot of kids take to heart! Should we let them? Or should we aim to clarify the theologically correct details about heaven? How do we do that?  Today, we are joined by Dr. Sanjay Merchant to answer the question: what is heaven like? for all of the kiddos who are wondering.  Sanjay Merchant is a Professor of Theology at the Moody Bible Institute. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Divorce is a heartbreaking reality, especially in the US. In America, more than 50% of first marriages end in divorce, so it is likely that this generation will witness divorce in their own families or by association. How do we talk to children about divorce in a way that is Biblically sound and age appropriate - especially considering all of the ways that it affects children? How do we teach them what God designed for marriage in a way that they will understand? How do we love them in this tender place? On today’s episode, you’ll hear more of Eddie’s personal story as a child of divorce as well as hear a conversation with Dr. Preston Hill surrounding the discussion, care, and timeless truths connected to divorce. To connect directly with Preston, please visit https://www.drprestonhill.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we surveyed parents about the questions their kids have, many of them asked about suffering. How do I talk to my kids about suffering? If God is all powerful, why do we suffer? How do I make this theological concept feel personal and accessible to their sensitive heart? In this episode with Dr. Gerald Peterman from the Moody Bible Institute for a conversation about how to talk to kids about suffering.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racial and ethnic diversity within the family is a beautiful display of God’s family. How people from every nation and every tongue will one day bow down to the King of Kings. But let’s talk about the experiences, joys, challenges, and responsibilities of parents who have adopted cross-racially and internationally. How can I affirm my child’s identity as a member of a certain community and as a member of our family? How can I emphasize the beauty of adoption? How do I love them well? Join us for a conversation with mom, MOPS director, and adopted daughter Sara Lane for this week’s episode of the Car Seat Questions podcast. We hear her story in vulnerability and victory as she pursues the Lord.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has your kid ever been in the “why” phase? Where they ask “why” as a response to everything you say? Have they ever asked about sin? About what it is? What it is not? And how we treat it? In this episode we sit down with Father Jack King to learn how to answer our kids in a Biblically rich and yet understandable way when they ask us: why can't I just do what I want? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screens. We know them. We have them - but do we love them? How should we respond to our growing addiction to screens? How can we help our children foster healthy relationships in this area? Join us for a conversation with Arlene Pellicane (Screen Kids, 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom, Growing Up Social) on how to answer our kids when they ask for increased screen time or what to do when they start showing signs of addiction to screens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids and adults alike have a lot of questions about evil: If God is good, why is there evil? If I am called to love everyone, do I have to love Satan? Why did God make Satan?  These questions are not easy to answer, but reflect the Godly desire to understand God's character as well as our fleshly desires to experience sin. Tune in to this episode with Clayton Keenon where we answer real questions that children have about evil.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is A LOT of information out there about the right and wrong ways to parent your kids. And thankfully, we have the scriptures to guide us in the way that children should go when it comes to absolute truth - but what about personal conviction? Those things that aren't explicitly detailed in scripture like Halloween, screen time, and Harry Potter? Where does Christian liberty come into play? Tune in to this conversation with author Jamie Erickson for a conversation on all things kids and personal conviction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where do I start when discerning how to answer my kids' questions? About the world? About God? About what goes on around them? In this first episode of the Car Seat Questions podcast, we set the table with three important developmental categories: hearts, minds and souls - otherwise known as emotional development, cognitive development, and spiritual development. We answer key questions like: why are kids' emotions so big? What are the major stages of development? What are spiritual patterns we see in kids? In order to answer these questions we are joined by three experts on "all things kid" - Elizabeth Smith, Brooke Ervin , and Randy Isola.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has your child ever asked you a BIG question? One of those questions that makes YOU think? If that's you, you're not alone! Kids are curious, and they have questions...questions about all sorts of things. This is Car Seat Questions - a podcast for parents of curious kids. Each episode is designed to help you answer your kids' questions in a Biblically sound and age appropriate way - to encourage their curiosity and consider their childlike spirit. New episodes release every Wednesday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.